Aylesbury Estate transformed into community garden

A disused patch of land on the Aylesbury Estate has been transformed into a community garden where local residents can grow their own fruit and vegetables over the coming months.

Around twenty residents expressed an interest in growing their own produce earlier in the year when Aylesbury New Deal for Communities (NDC) first proposed the project. Since then, the NDC has used £10,000 of its funding to transform an overgrown garden into a communal area containing raised beds, vegetable plots and space to sit down and relax. Southwark Council has offered a disused storage space next to the plot as a base for water supply and storage for tools.

The NDC funded a local contractor, Groundwork London, to clear the space and construct the raised beds. They were helped by unemployed people from around the borough who received horticultural training from Groundwork as a way of helping them find longer term work.

“We’re really pleased about the garden because a lot of local people who live in high-rise blocks miss the outside,” said local resident Jean Bartlett. “This will give us a chance to spend quality time outdoors and to relax and socialise with neighbours who share an interest in growing for pleasure.”

NDC Director Richard McDermott said, “The community garden received strong support from everyone involved – local residents, the TRA and the Council. We’re delighted that, thanks to real collective effort, local people will enjoy this transformed patch of outdoor space while pursuing their passion for gardening. I hope they will enjoy the fruits of their labours for many years to come”

The plot of land is located in the area designated as Phase 4 of the regeneration programme which will be the last to be redeveloped, giving residents plenty of time to enjoy the garden in the future.